? on topping

[octobong007]

i'm with ya on your thoughts longtimegrower. with my own reasons, the bottom line is its what i want to do. some may say it wont work, well they need to do alot more research and experimentation on their own. i like to top every chance i get for 3 weeks to a month, then let her grow another month. all that vegitation on a plant with 12 to 20 main stems, i think it looks cool...and those ladies are MINE. just have fun with your grow, if its like work, you probly shouldn't be growing. this opinion is mine and mine only, but in the event someone wants to borrow it, i give my permission with the understand that i am not liable what is done with it, or whom it may be used on. lmao, have fun bro's and sis's, aint that what its all about? smell dat funk in dah air baby...yeaaaaaaaa

 

[md.apothecary]

Space is the limitation. I like to grow in more confined areas instead of a large area to utilize the lights more. Micro growing for me produces just as much as large area growing, but with less overall costs. Plus, instead of hassling with a single large plant the risk of something happening to it is greater for me than having multiple topped plants.

I top my plants because they like to run for the light and by topping, it's easier IMO than doing LST and having string and bent branches and such all over the place.

My method of topping is by pinching instead of removal of the nodes. I simply pluck and pull, so technically, it's not actually loosing anything, but building a bushier plant for the colas. In the long run, a double branched plant that forks at the top will create two large colas that DO produce more than a single stalked plant. But this is just in my own personal growing experiences. Differences will be discovered through trial and error, plus your conditions and strains play a large role in this as well.

 

[I'ma Joker Midnight Toker]

I personally have never found a benefit to yield from topping.

Over the time i've been on various forums, i've noticed that a lot of people will always advise you not to take fan leaves off, as they are a source of energy for the plant.

Well if you take off the top and the top 3 nodes then surely your losing more than just taking the fan leaves.

I personaly have had similar effects to topping by just removing key fan leaves at important time to let light through to the lower bud sites to let them develop.

I had some northern lights and I didn't top at all, i just removed fan leaves that were blocking light of these lower bud sites and they soon rose up and blossomed.

To lose out on the main cola which is worth 2 ounces or more could be a costly mistake in my opinion.

I grant that at times and certain situations it will work better for some people, mixing a topping with a scrog will get a great yield for a closet grower.

Don't take this as me hating, just saying

I'm with you Widow...I say don't top.... but possibly pinch if it's a height thing, less stress at the time and it accomplishes the same thing. If height is not the issue - DON'T TOP - IMHO. If you are doing a Bonsai, sure, especially to keep a mother short and bushy. I recommend a scrog grow for any height issues or LST to get a better yield.
PS. When you top you get smaller stems which means smaller buds, just a thought...in a scrog you get larger buds in a tight area without topping and hence a great yield.

 

[md.apothecary]

I don't necessarily beleive that you get smaller stems by topping. You simply get MORE stems that are starting from square one instead of your main stem being the ONLY stem on the plant. The only reason it seems to give you more bud is because you have more nodes on the single stem when you don't top than when you do because you're removing those nodes when you cut. However, I don't think this is necessarily why you get more bud. I think it has to do with maturity of the split stems after topping.

If you were to top/pinch earlier on, and allow for more maturing of the new growth, you'd come out probably better than a single stem. You'd end up with two new stems of bud, plus your main stem of bud as well, plus any additional internodes along the way.

:woohoo:

I'll have to see what Jorge says and let you in on it later

 

[md.apothecary]

Jorge Cervantes says....

PRUNING
Does topping the main bud slow down plant growth? Does it affect other buds and knock them back from their full potential?


Pruning or topping plants redirects their growth hormones. By pruning selectively, you manipulate auxin hormone levels in branch and flower tips. Removing a branch or branch tip causes hormonal balances to shift. Cutting the meristem (top growth tip) of a cannabis plant will diffuse hormones (auxins) and cause greater concentrations in lower branch tips, which will cause lower buds to gain girth and weight.

Always use clean instruments when pruning. A sharp pair of pruners will work best in this case. Sanitize clippers and blades between cuts by dipping in rubbing alcohol. After pruning, the open wound invites diseases and pests. Wash your hands and tools before and after pruning. Make cuts at a 45-degree angle to discourage moisture from sitting on wounds. When you prune during flowering, floral hormones are diffused and flowering is retarded. It takes a month or longer for hormones to build up to pre-pruning concentrations.

Remove spindly branches and growth that is not collecting light energy, including dead and dying leaves. Pruning lower branches concentrates auxins in upper branches, which forces growth upwards. Cut lower branches off cleanly at the stem so no stub is left to rot and attract pests and diseases. If you must harvest a little smoke prematurely, removing a few lower branches will diminish the harvest the least. Pruning out spindly branches and growth inside plants opens up the interior and provides more and better air circulation. It also allows light to reach deeper inside plants.

 

[massproducer]

If you were to top/pinch earlier on, and allow for more maturing of the new growth, you'd come out probably better than a single stem. You'd end up with two new stems of bud, plus your main stem of bud as well, plus any additional internodes along the way.

This is just not true, if you top your plant the two braches below your cut become your two new main stems. Your main stem does not grow back.

Topping, LSTing or whatever training method you use is only as good as your availible space. It is all about your space, lighting and plant numbers. IMHO, Topping is beneficial for a mother plant, but there are other training methods that are superior to topping to maximize your availible space and lighting, while keeping plant numbers at a minimum. I am a fan of Lsting and SCROG as the gaurantees an even canopy while topping doesn't and requires some sort of other training to go along with it.

I always lillipop my plants to create better air flow, and free up energy the plants can use to create bigger buds.

To make a long story short topping, lsting or whatever can only improve your yeild if you are not maximizing your space.

 

[Old Hippie]

-and my girls are over 8 ft tall. with 2 main branches. you can even tell where i toped now, its a V shaped knot in the middle of my plants.

The pic is where I top Her in early june

 

[JogaBonito521]

When is the earliest you can top a plant?

 

[andy52]

excuse me for being new,but doesn't topping give you more colas in the long haul.you top and you get 2 main colas,right?i topped 4 of my plants when they were 2 weeks old and they are some healthy looking,fat and sassy plants.started to say girls,hope so.lol

 

[dman1234]

Im far from an expert but i have had alot of success toping, maybe im simplifing but i just cut the top off when its at about 10-12 inchs, make a clone out of it and it bushes rite out, i have had no issues indoor or out. JMO

 

[That crazy vancouver guy]

When is the earliest you can top a plant?

you can top a plant any time... within reason, of course... (you can't top a 4" seedling...)

I did supercrop a 4" clone in my 400ml beerglass grow, though....

 

[Klicks]

Many, many thanks for this info. It's the best info I've picked up today. I'm getting ready to set up and am hoping for the best.

 

[New_2_Chronic]

Hey MD.Apothecary.

To correct you a little the method you do is not actually topping, Its Fimming, which is actually different. IMO I have done both and they both have different results.

Topping results in multiplication of the growing tops, it also encourages bottom branching. Fimming, as you have shown usually just stoops growth from the top and makes the bottom of the plant branchy and bushy. If you do not remove enough of the new growth with FIM you will still wind up with only on top, just the plant will be bushier.

Both of these methods work well in controlling height, and increase budsites which increases yield. Yes I said id does incease yield. Its true when your main cola is intact it weighs a might hefty portion of the plants yield, when you top you will have more smaller colas, instead of one larger one. These colas will have a greater overall weight than that of your single cola if not topped.

If you check out my journal I show Topping, Fimming, and Supercropping on 6 plants that are now under a SCROG 1 week into flower.

 

[Jake2635]

Thank u.. I a fristtimer this year,tired of buying b/s,thanks

 

[Dankerz]

i grew this from seed..once she reached her 4/5 node i cut her back to/at the second node..after that i clipped leaves and branches here and there..she now 45 days old 4-5" tall and has 10 main tops. she is going to be a beast in a few weeks:hubba:

 

[D3]

I read this about 10 years ago. They said there are 2 ways of topping, md.apothecary nailed the first one. Second no one thouched on. I do this all the time & it works. Just pinch the top new growth HARD. Dont remove it. It dammages it much worse than just topping it & can cause 3 tops to grow instead of 2. It doesn't work all the time, but I get about 60% with 3 tops.

 

[buzzby]

I personally have never found a benefit to yield from topping.

Over the time i've been on various forums, i've noticed that a lot of people will always advise you not to take fan leaves off, as they are a source of energy for the plant.

Well if you take off the top and the top 3 nodes then surely your losing more than just taking the fan leaves.

I personaly have had similar effects to topping by just removing key fan leaves at important time to let light through to the lower bud sites to let them develop.

I had some northern lights and I didn't top at all, i just removed fan leaves that were blocking light of these lower bud sites and they soon rose up and blossomed.

To lose out on the main cola which is worth 2 ounces or more could be a costly mistake in my opinion.

I grant that at times and certain situations it will work better for some people, mixing a topping with a scrog will get a great yield for a closet grower.

Don't take this as me hating, just saying

Lol, I did the same thing, and one person on here... after i asked if i screwed up told me... I needed 2 do some serious reading, quit hacking up my plants, and pruning was only for people that knew what they were doing. I thought this person was rude as hell, and i was quite offened by the reply, but as i told people I am new, but in 2001 i grew some killer *** bud, and never topped the plantss, just pulled a few leaves off in the 1st 3 wks of vegitation, so this just goes to show people that they don't need to be topped. =) GREAT POST WIDOWMAKER

 

[CoolAsAFan]

i think LST is the way to go for the average grower, topping should be more common for mass grows, as tying many plants would be dificult. with LST, you get the exact same benefits w/o inducing any stress. my 2 pennies

 

[Newbud]

Topping and pinching so they grow as multiple equal height cola's, and do away with the smaller branches and shoots.
Get less srappy buds.
Probably better for sativa dom but only used it with my PP as yet.

 

[blondeboy]

This is the best method by following these instructions. I usually like to pinch the new growth first, w/o removing it, and let it heal for a while. Your developing root growth when your pinching it and it allows the steam the stealth that it will need to carry the weigh of the bud. It will branch out developing more fan leafs which will eventually become flowing sights. Meanwhile, 3 extra top branches will rise up from the top, most of the time. When those new 3 branches mature to a stealth level, 3or 4 fan leafs down, carefully top them. I eventually top those 3 new developing branches to make 3 times as many clones from pinching first. But if you’re in a big hurry to light up a joint, don’t top just pinch! It will take longer to flower, if you top it.